Spanish design at SALON

Spanish cuisine is enjoying an extended moment in the sun right now, and thanks to a group of forward thinking Spanish designers, the success isn’t confined to the kitchen.

Not since the days of Gaudi and Miro have Spanish artists and designers been in such demand. Two leading industry figures to have capitalised on the peak in interest are publisher of Surface magazine Richard Klein and architect Winka Dubbledam, the pair of whom recently unveiled a new lounge bar inspired by the work of Spanish designers.

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Set within New York’s Tribeca Grand Hotel, SALON will house a permanent echibition of work from 18 leading Spanish talents. The moodily lit space comes complete with gilded figurines by the omnipresent Jaime Hayon for Lladro, out-there textiles from rug company Nanimarquina and a gaggle of inviting "Lip Sofas" - of which Dali would have been proud - by BD Barcelona design.

We caught up with Winka Dubbledam post-opening, to hear what she had to say about the new watering hole.

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The space is pretty surreal. What inspired the look?

Both Richard Klein and myself were invited to design the space and work with 18 of the best modern Spanish designers and manufacturers. While researching the project we came across BD Barcelona’s amazing Dali-inspired furniture. Dali was known for the striking and bizarre images in his surrealist work -the colours, the ‘melted’ forms and the fluidity of the compositions became the main themes of the space, and the centrepiece, a group of the “Dali Lips” sofas became the pivot around which the space organises itself.

Did you design SALON around the objects featured in the bar? Each item has a strong sense of character.

The wall behind the bar and the bar itself were transformed into a glass vitrine for Lladro’s figurines. Their slightly surreal aesthetic was further expressed by putting them in this unusual context, where the whites and golds of the objects glitter against the dark wood wall.

How did you decide on the designers/objects to be included in the space?

We were given 18 manufacturers and in most cases, were free to choose anything from them. We wanted the space to have a relaxed, luxurious feel and consequently we selected the works on colour, shape and surrealist aspects (sofas with inserted lamps and tables, vases with faces, low tables with hollow shapes inserted, etc.)

What is your favourite object in the bar?

BD Barcelona’s bar, it has a range of unusual legs and each one is a work of art.

How did you find working with Richard Klein of Surface magazine?

We have worked together before and I find the experience extremely inspiring!

SALON is now open at Tribeca grand Hotel, 2 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10013, United States. www.tribecagrand.com

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